Match report and analysis
Marco Silva: “It was really difficult, the way we planned the game, the first goal made a huge impact,” the Fulham boss tells TNT Sports. “The way we conceded was good combination play, pass and go from the left back, but we should have dealt with it better. We should have been more aggressive in that moment, disrupt the run of Gvardiol more than we did.
“The first half was a little quiet from us, not that many chances. We did not have much of the ball but even City, with the control of the game, did not have many chances.
“Second half we tried to change things from the bench, adding Adama to give more power to our right hand side and get combinations with Iwobi and try to add more dangerous moments. We had some good moments for around 15 minutes, a chance with Muniz from a good Adama cross. After that the second goal killed the game.”
Josko Gvardiol: The Croatian is asked about Manchester City’s game in hand against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday. “It’s another final,” he says. “I played only once there and it was difficult. Hopefully it is going to be another good game and another good day for us.”
Match report: Fulham 0-4 Manchester City
Premier League: Josko Gvardiol scored twice and turned down the oopportunity to score his hat-trick as Manchester City swatted feeble Fulham aside to leapfrog Arsenal and go two points clear at the top of the table. Nick Ames reports from Craven Cottage …
Fulham: While their performance today was feeble, it’s been a decent season for Fulham and the players and their families are currently doing a lap of appreciation around Craven Cottage.
Josko Gvardiol speaks: Asked by TNT Sports why he didn’t take the penalty deep in added time with the game already won, he says “Yes, of course I would like to take it but we know who is the taker so he takes and I am happy for him to score.”
Going back to that penalty: Issa Diop slid in to foul Julian Alvarez as he received a pass from Rico Lewis and it being his second bookable offence, the Fulham defender received his marching orders.
Kyle Walker offered the ball to Josko Gvardiol, giving him the opportunity to become the first defender in Premier League history to score a hat-trick but the Croatian turned it down and insisted that Alvarez take the spot-kick instead. The Argentinian duly stepped up and scored with the minimum of fuss.
Full time: Fulham 0-4 Manchester City
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeeeeep! It’s all over at Craven Cottage, where City have routed Fulham for the second time this season to leapfrog Arsenal and go two points clear at the top of the table with 85 points on the board. The Gunners travel to Old Trafford tomorrow to play Manchester United but the title is very much Manchester City’s to lose.
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Goal! Fulham 0-4 Manchester City (Alvarez 90+8pen)
No he won’t. Julian Alvarez steps up to score past Leno after Gvardiol turned down the ball offered to him by Kyle Walker.
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Penalty for Manchester City!
Issa Diop is red-carded for a foul on Alvarez and City have a spot-kick. Will Gvardiol take it?
90+4 min: As the game peters out, Fulham win a free-kick for a foul by Alvarez halfway inside their own half.
90+1 min: On a hat-trick, Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol finds himself in an excellent position to shoot but chooses not to, passing to as teammate instead. Boo!!!
90 min: Antonee Robinson is booked for a foul on Rico Lewis.
89 min: In what is almost certain to be a complete waste of everybody’s time, we’ll have seven added minutes.
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88 min: Antonee Robinson loses the ball to Rico Lewis as City pile forward again. Oscar Bobb’s pull-back from the byline is intercepted by Palinha.
84 min: While few in their right minds will have expected Manchester City to trip over their own feet in this fixture, it’s been a pretty risible effort from Fulham. They started the game reasonably brightly but with almost monotonoous predictability have ultimately been crushed.
83 min: City triple-substitution: Oscar Bobb, Rico Lewis and Julian Alvarez come on for Erling Haaland, Oscar Bobb and Mateo Kovacic.
80 min: Jeremy Doku drops his shoulder, cuts inside from the left and stings the palms of Bernd Leno with a rasping drive.
79 min: Harry Wilson is on for Fulham, in place of Andreas Pereira.
78 min: Issa Diop is booked for a shirt-tug on Erling Haaland.
76 min: Man City substitution: Jeremy Doku has come on for Kevin De Bruyne. And in case you were wondering, there’s no Jack Grealish in the City squad today because the winger is feeling poorly.
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74 min: With the game completely beyond Fulham, City fans are doing the celebratory Poznam behind the goal into which Gvardiol has just scored. Noel Gallagher is among them but being too cool for school, he chooses not to get involved.
GOAL! Fulham 0-3 Manchester City (Gvardiol 71)
City go three up! Josko Gvardiol does superbly to stretch divert the ball home at the far post with the outside of his right boot as he gets on the end of a cross from deep from Bernardo Silva. The ball passed the outstretched foot of Akanji, who was in an offside position, on it’s way towards Gvardiol and there’s a check to see if the City No25 touched the ball. He didn’t and the goal stands.
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71 min: Silva slips De Bruyne in behind down the inside right and the Belgian drills the ball across the face of goal. Issa Diop clears.
70 min: City have a penalty appeal turned down after De Bruyne is dispossessed by another fine tackle from Joao Palinha.
67 min: On loan from Chelsea but not getting much game time in a Fulham shirt, Armando Broja comes on for Rodrigo Muniz. Broja has yet to score for the Cottagers, although this is only his eighth appearance.
66 min: Fulham claim a penalty for an apparent handball by Bernardo Silva. Their appeals fall on deaf ears as the ball didn’t touch the City winger’s arm.
63 min: Just as he did after City’s opening goal, Erling Haaland has fluffed his lines. After some excellent build-up play he received a wonderful weighted pass from Kevin De Bruyne before curling a shot you’d fully expect him to score with high and wide.
61 min: Bernardo Silva played a crucial role in the creation of that goal, spinning Antonee Robinson near the halfway line and galloping forward to the edge of the penalty area with the ball at his feet. He was dispossessed by a wonderfully meaty challenge by Joao Palinha but the ball broke to Foden, who scored into the corner with his weaker foot.
GOAL! Fulham 0-2 Manchester City (Foden 58)
City double their lead! Phil Foden reacts quickest to score into the bottom left-hand corner after the ball squirted his way following a wonderful tackle on the rampaging Bernardo Silva by Palinha.
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57 min: Traore drives the ball across the face of the City goal, low and hard through the legs of Akanji. Muniz tries to flick the ball goalwards at the near post but Ederson gets down to make the save.
55 min: Muniz and Akanji tussle for the ball and the Fulham striker catches the City defender in the face with a flailing arm. Anthony Taylor awards Fulham a free-kick, for reasons known only to him.
53 min: Bernd Leno saves well at his near post from Bernardo Silva after Kevin De Bruyne had slipped the ball his way after receiving a pass from Haaland. To the astonishment of almost everyone present, De Bruyne puts the resultant corner wide.
51 min: It’s textbook Traore as Adama gets on the ball down the right-hand side, gets in behind Akanji and then sends an overhit cross well wide.
50 min: Fulham give the ball away inside their own half again but City are unable to make good use of the gift-wrapped present. Fulham clear their lines.
48 min: Willian’s underwhelming first half performance could be his last at Craven Cottage. His contract expires next month and while the club have offered him another year, the Brazilian winger has hinted that he wants to go elsewhere.
46 min: Alex Iwobi has moved out to the left of the Fulham midfield, allowing Cairney to take up a more central role.
Second half: Fulham 0-1 Manchester City
46 min: Play resumes with Tom Cairney and Adama Traore on for the home side. Bobby Decordova-Reid and Willian make way after doing little or nothing between them in the first half apart from repeatedly gifting cheap possession to Manchester City.
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Meanwhile in Scotland: Rangers midfielder John Lundstram is having quite the time of it in a potentially title-deciding Old Firm derby between his side and Celtic. You can follow the action from Glasgow with Scott Murray …
Half-time: Fulham 0-1 Manchester City
Peep! Anthony Taylor signals the break and City’s players adjourn to the dressing-room with a one-goal lead courtesy of Josko Gvardiol’s fine effort. Despite a promising start by Fulham, City have completely dominated the past 35 minutes and one suspects the home side are about to get a rocket from Marco Silva for repeatedly giving the ball away to their visitors.
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45+3 min: Fulham manage to string seven or eight passes together without giving the ball away but they’re camped deep inside their own half so it’s not much use. It’s half-time.
45+1 min: Foden tries to play Haaland in behind with a diagonal pass to feet but Calvin Bassey is tight on the City striker and takes the ball off his toe before booting clear.
44 min: From the corner, Kevin De Bruyne’s delivery to the far post is inch perfect. It’s at the perfect height for Manuel Akanji to stoop and head it into the bottom corner but for reasons best known to himself, the defender elects to kick the ball and puts it wide. That’s an atrocious effort and a real let-off for Fulham.
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43 min: Iwobi gives the ball away outside his own penalty area and City win a corner after a Bernardo Silva shot spins behind off a defender.
42 min: There’s a brief moment of very minor panic in the City defence as Ruben Dias misjudges the flight of a Pereira pass towards Muniz. The Portuguese defender is able to flick the ball towards Ederson before the Fulham striker can pounce.
40 min: With his side yet to muster a shot in anger, Marco Silva instructs Fulham substitutes Harry Wilson and Adama Traore to go and warm up.
38 min: City attack on the break and win a corner when Kevin De Bruyne elects to shoot instead of squaring the ball for Haaland. His curled shot is put behind by Issa Diop.
36 min: Fulham play it out from the back, working the ball through the City press and getting it to Muniz on the halfway line. He does well to hold it up but it inevitably finds its way back to the feet of a City player.
33 min: City recycle the ball after De Bruyne’s delivery is only half-cleared by Bassey. Foden’s cross into the box is headed clear. City are in total control of this game and another goal from them will almost certainly finish it as a meaningful contest.
32 min: City finally venture into Fulham territory and the ball’s worked wide to Bernardo Silva on the right. Antonee Robinson eventually hacks the ball clear for Fulham but it goes straight back to City, who win a corner off Timothy Castagne.
30 min: City enjoy a sustained period of keep-ball without venturing out of their own half. Akanji, Dias, Walker and Gvardiol are getting plenty of touches as they hog the ball.
27 min: It’s Leno to the rescue for Fulham again, as he’s called upon to stop a rising Phil Foden drive from distance that was hit straight at him. After their very promising start, Fulham are now coughing up possession far too cheaply in dangerous areas.
25 min: Gvardiol pulls the ball back to Kevin De Bruyne on the edge of the Fulham penalty area and the Belgian tees up Bernardo Silva for a shot from distance. His effort is on target but Bernd Leno dives to his left and catches the ball. A bit of a Hollywood save, that’s one for the Fulham goalkeeper’s showreel.
23 min: Play resumes with Walker in at right-back for City and Akanji moving into the Ake-shaped hole in the heart of their defence.
21 min: Manchester City substitution: Nathan Ake has suffered a knock and is unable to run properly. He’s replaced by Kyle Walker as the players take a short drinks break. Pep Guardiola uses the interlude to give an impromptu and very animated team talk.
19 min: There were, in fact, 19 passes in the build-up to that opening goal, with Erling Haaland and Ederson the only City players who didn’t get involved.
18 min: Erling Haaland has just sent a volley high over the bar from distance, connecting with the bouncing ball after a mix-up between Bassey and Leno led to De Buyne heading it his way.
15 min: As Mike Tyson famously said, everyone has a plan until they get a punch in the mouth and Fulham have been left with a fat lip despite a very promising start. There were 14 or 15 passes in the build-up to that gooal but it was Gvardiol who played the starring role. The left back drove inside from the left playing a give-and-go with De Bruyne. As the Croatian made a curling run into the box to collect the return pass, he took out Diop with a terrific bit of control and then rolled a precise right-foot effort past Leno.
GOAL! Fulham 0-1 Man City (Gvardiol 13)
City lead! Ah well. Josko Gvardiol cuts in from the left, plays a lovely give-and-go with Kevin De Bruyne and rolls the ball past Bernd Leno and into the bottom corner after completely wrong-footing Fulham defender Issa Diop with a lovely first touch. That’s a wonderful goal.
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12 min: Kevin De Bruyne tries to pick out Haaland with a ball to the edge of the Fulham penalty area but Calvin Bassey is on hand to intercept and play it back to his goalkeeper.
10 min: A hopeful ball from deep hoofed in the general direction of Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz is headed back into the Fulham half by Ruben Dias.
9 min: Bobby Decordova-Reid snaps into a tackle in midfield and wins the ball for Fulham, who have had 59% of the possession so far.
8 min: Josko Gvardiol tries to canter down the left flank for City but is dispossessed by Timothy Casatagne, who plays the ball back to Leno again. Good defending.
7 min: Mateo Kovacic, Phil Foden and Erling Haaland combine through the middle for City as the visitors probe for an opening.
6 min: It’s been a bright start for Fulham, who are enjoying plenty of possession in these early stages.
4 min: Antonee Robinson takes a throw-in for Fulham, halfway inside the City half, chucking the ball back into his own half. It eventually ends up at the feet of Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno, who receives a backpass from Timothy Castagne.
2 min: Andreas Pereira runs on to a long ball into a pocket of space vacated by Manuel Akanji in the City right-back position and wins a corner for Fulham off Ruben Dias. The inswinger is cleared at the near post and Fulham recycle the ball. On this occasion, Pereira’s delivery into the box is headed clear by Erling Haaland.
Fulham v Manchester City is go ...
1 min: Following the laying of wreaths and a minute’s applause for the late Fulham striker Viv Busby, Alex Iwobi gets the ball rolling for the home side.
Not long now: Referee Anthony Taylor and his team of match officials lead out both sets of players on a beautifully sunny day beside the Thames. The pitch has been watered and looks perfect and the players of Manchester City, who have been waiting outside their dressing-room for almost 10 minutes, have the collective game face on. Can Fulham throw a spanner in the works of Pep’s relentless winning machine? Probably not, but stranger things have happened so let’s find out …
Fulham’s home record against Manchester City: Arsenal fans who are hoping Fulham can do their team a favour by taking points off City today will be disappointed to learn that their record against the champions at home is pretty dismal.
In 15 Premier League games at Craven Cottage, Fulham have won just once – a 2-1 in November 2005, when both the home side’s goals were scored by Steed Malbranque. Fulham have drawn five times against City at the Cottage since football was invented in 1992 and lost on nine occasions.
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Erling Haaland: The Manchester City striker has claimed that none of his critics mention how many touches he has made if he scores, with the Norwegian saying that even if he netted nine goals in a game, 10 would be his target. Jamie Jackson reports.
Today’s match officials
Referee: Anthony Taylor.
Assistants: Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn.
Fourth official: Keith Stroud.
VAR: David Coote.
Those teams: Both managers make one change each to the teams they sent out last weekend. Marco Silva brings in midfielder Bobby De Cordova-Reid for the injured Sasa Lukic, while Pep Guardiola has dropped Kyle Walker to the bench and picked Ruben Dias ahead of the England left-back. Phil Foden makes his 50th appearance of the season in all competitions and his 300th overall for club and country.
Fulham v Manchester City line-ups
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Diop, Bassey, Robinson, Iwobi, Joao Palhinha, De Cordova-Reid, Andreas Pereira, Willian, Rodrigo Muniz.
Subs: Rodak, Tete, Reed, Jimenez, Wilson, Broja, Cairney, Traore, Ream.
Manchester City: Ederson, Akanji, Dias, Ake, Gvardiol, Rodri, Kovacic, Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Foden, Haaland.
Subs: Walker, Stones, Doku, Ortega, Alvarez, Gomez, Matheus Luiz, Bobb, Lewis.
Is this a real Premier League title race?
Comment: Intrigue, mind games and a credible chance of Manchester City slipping up are all missing from this supposedly epic battle for the Premier League title, writes Jonathan Liew.
Early team news
Fulham are without their Serbian midfielder Sasa Lukic, who has been ruled out of today’s game with a calf injury, while central defender Tosin Aderabioyo has been dropped for the last two games after announcing he will be leaving the club when his contract expires at the end of next month.
Pep Guardiola has a fully fit squad to choose from and may well field the same side that routed Wolves last weekend. Of course with Pep being Pep, there’s every chance he could field a completely different one. We’ll find out soon enough.
Premier League: Fulham v Manchester City
Hoping to leapfrog Arsenal and go to points clear at the Premier League summit, Manchester City travel to Craven Cottage for today’s lunchtime kick-off. With victory in the title race in their own hands, Pep Guardiola’s team seem unlikely to blink against a team whose record against them is dismal, particularly now that Erling Haaland is back in form after his recent one-game goal drought against Real Madrid. The Norwegian striker has scored five goals in his last two games.
Fulham have taken some notable scalps this season, beating Tottenham, Brighton, Manchester United and Arsenal, among others but lost the corresponding fixture at the Etihad Stadium 5-1 in September. Haaland scored a hat-trick in that particular City win and will back himself to be among the goals again on a sunny afternoon in west London. Kick-off at Craven Cottage is at 12.30pm (BST) but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
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